In most cases, dental restorations that are treated well are reliable and long-lasting. By treated well, your Edmonton dentist means that you use your teeth for the purposes they were intended for. That means no bottle-opening, cracking lobster claws or eating sticky candies that risk pulling your crowns and fillings from the mouth.
Still, restorations can fail when their dental cement fails or a filling breaks away from the tooth. You might wonder if you need an emergency dentist in west Edmonton if this happens, but you may not need to seek one out just yet.
I like my regular dental clinic best – what should I do if I have a dental emergency outside of regular business hours?
At Lotus Dental Wellness, we understand wanting to see your regular dentist who does your dental checkups and places your restorations to have your tooth fixed if at all possible. If you are not in critical pain due to trauma or a dental infection, our dentist in west Edmonton will want to see you, but it may not need to happen for a day or two. That means that if you lose a crown or filling on Saturday but your clinic cannot accommodate your visit, you would be booked for Monday. Although losing a filling or a crown can be uncomfortable, you are not at risk of losing a tooth or prolonging an infection, which are the primary reasons for emergency dental clinics in west Edmonton to see patients.
What To Do if You Lose a Filling
If a filling dislodges, remove it from your mouth as soon as possible to avoid swallowing it. The loss of the filling exposes your dentin to the elements, which can be experienced as severe sensitivity. In order to manage this condition until you see your dentist in west Edmonton, we recommend that you begin by cleaning the tooth of any debris that could be irritating. Once the tooth is clean, a piece of sugar free gum can be pressed into the cavity until you can get to the drugstore for some dental wax. If your tooth is hurting, you can help to numb it slightly by applying some clove oil to the tooth. You can buy clove oil at the drugstore in Edmonton along with your dental wax. You may want to try a small amount at first to ensure that you can tolerate the taste. Although the taste is not unpleasant, it is very strong, and it has been safely used to assist with toothaches for centuries.
Once you have some dental wax, roll some into a small ball that can be pressed into the tooth to protect it. You can use a damp cotton swab to pack it into the tooth and wipe away any excess. Finally, bite the upper and lower teeth together and apart several times to establish your bite. This will protect your tooth from air and irritants until you can see the dentist.
What To Do if You Lose a Crown
If you lose a crown, the first thing you should do is locate it and inspect it for damage. If there is damage to the crown and you can’t replace it onto the tooth, clean it gently and rinse it before putting it in a safe place like a clean container or sealed bag. You will want to bring this with you to your appointment with your westside Edmonton dentist. If your crown is not damaged, inspect your tooth post to check for damage. If your tooth has broken through its core, you will be in pain and will require an emergency dental appointment.
If your tooth is safe, you can clean it and rinse it and then roll a small ball of dental wax (or sugar free gum until you can find it) and press it into the crown before reseating the crown over the tooth and pressing into place gently. This will protect your tooth from pain until you can see your Westside Edmonton dentist.
How much does it cost to see an emergency dentist in west Edmonton?
The cost to see an emergency dentist will vary from clinic to clinic as well as from procedure to procedure, however, all dentists in Alberta are encouraged to inform their pricing with the suggested fees contained in Alberta’s dental formulary.
How can I prevent dental emergencies?
Your dentist in West Edmonton knows the two most important things you can do to protect yourself against dental emergencies are: wear your dental guards when playing sports or other physical activities and take good care of your oral hygiene at home. Decreasing the likelihood of decay significantly decreases the likelihood of a dental emergency, like a dental infection, occurring.